BY LORRAINE MUROMO

ZIMBABWE has been urged to implement the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in a bid to address issues of global warming that have been causing excessive violet radiation, which can lead to diseases.

The Montreal Protocol sets binding progressive phase out obligations for developed and developing countries for all the major ozone-depleting substances, including chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons and less damaging transitional chemicals such as hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

Environment ministry director Washington Zhakata on Wednesday told journalists at a climate change workshop in Harare that depletion of the ozone layer was dangerous for the country as it could cause people to suffer skin cancers, eye cataracts and immune suppression if not mitigated. Calls to implement the Montreal Protocol come at a time when world leaders recently met to discuss climate change issues at the COP26 conference in Glasgow, Scotland.

“The international community adopted the Montreal Protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer on September 16 to address this environmental challenge.

A lot of successes have been achieved since its entry into force in 1989, and the world has managed to reduce more than 99% of substances that deplete the ozone layer,” Zhakata said.

“As we focus on phasing out the remaining quantities of ozone depleting substances, mainly the hydrochloroflourocarbons, we are now looking for other environmental benefits associated with the phasing out of these chemicals.”

He said there was need to come up with mitigation measures to recover the ozone layer in the midst of environmental challenges such as global warming, persistent droughts, floods and desertification.

Zhakata said the country should comply with what was stipulated in the Montreal Protocol.

“The government of Zimbabwe completed the implementation of stage 1 of the hydrochloroflourocarbon phase, and has applied for funding for phase two.

This has been approved and will see the country reducing its HCFC consumption by 67,5% by 2025, and completely phasing out the HCFC by 2030,” he said.

The Montreal Protocol adopted in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2016 saw a key decision being made to phase out HCFCs and requested for parties to adopt alternatives that are highly energy efficient, environmentally friendly and cost effective to minimise damage to the global climate system.

Follow Lorraine on Twitter@RMuromo